Re: Truck Driver Training and Safer Highways

Dear Editor, 

    We write to you today as a concerned group of truckers that have become extremely concerned regarding the direction the trucking industry is heading towards. We are known as Truckers for Safer Highways based in Ontario, but we have the goal of improving the standards of training for commercial drivers throughout Canada.

    We, as drivers within the industry, have become aware of some major flaws within the licensing of new drivers throughout the country. Drivers are being trained to pass the test and not necessarily understanding everything it takes to be a safe operator of a commercial vehicle. 

Another problem that only compounds these issues is what seems to be a shortage of commercial vehicle enforcement officers across Canada. As a long haul driver myself, and my colleagues and I can tell you with a high level of certainty which scales and inspection stations will be operating and when. This makes it much easier for drivers to avoid such inspection stations, which should be verifying that their equipment is safe, and ensuring drivers are properly licensed and following all laws for commercial vehicles. 

These are not the only issues facing the safety of the trucking industry, however they are some of the most concerning ones. We have reached out to the Federal Minister of Transportation with little support but we have gained the support of several NDP MPPs of northern Ontario. It’s time for major change.

Thank you for your time.

Travis McDougall 

Truckers for Safer Highways 

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Re: Celebrating Peter McSherry’s life, September 6, 2021

I want to thank Mike Beggs for his article about my brother, Peter McSherry, and for celebrating his life as a taxi driver and writer.  Many thanks also to editor Rita Smith, who suggested that Mike research and write the column about him.

Peter was very proud of his three published books and he did have an eclectic taste for boxing and chess. The remarks by John Duffy, Bill McQuat, Andy Reti and Asafo Addai were also insightful and heartwarming. They saw his honourable side and knew that Peter tried to do the right thing and would always fight for the taxi industry .

M.Stafford

Toronto, Ontario

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Re: Work-to-rule action “will have a far greater impact on Canada’s critical supply chain” than full strike, Border Service admits, August 6th, 2021

I get the work to rule point that the striking custom agents are trying to make, BUT to slow down the truck drivers who have been running non stop providing us with our essential needs through and before the pandemic who only see their families once a week if they are lucky is ridiculous. To hold them up for hours at the boarder is sickening.

They see their families when they can and only for a short time and run a clock which takes from their family time; meanwhile, you can see your family daily and eat a home cooked meal thanks to the people you are screwing out of their family time.

Congratulations!!!

Shannon Brown

Jacksons Point, Ontario

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Re: “Maybe Uber will be able to accomplish in Trucking what it’s failed to do in Taxi: turn a profit while drivers earn a fair living” July 27, 2021

It is actually scary, Uber has been allowed to play a role in the trucking business

This is because consumers who depend on the services of truckers will suffer greatly.

Uber is not capable of being allowed such a responsible role in our society. Their record in the taxi business speaks volumes.

The regulatory body responsible for allowing the acquisition of Transplace ought to be ashamed. The character of Uber is morally inappropriate to be allowed to enter into such a vital arena like the trucking business with the potential to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of truckers and millions of consumers who rely on their services.

The only winners in this transaction are the greedy unconscionable investors whose love for money is far more greater than their love for their fellow humans.

Asafo Addai

Mississauga, Ontario

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